Saudi authorities detain and deport Sudanese militant leader
Leader of Islamist brigade returns to Port Sudan
Saudi Arabian authorities yesterday deported a Sudanese militant leader after holding him in detention for more than a week for unspecified reasons.
Al Misbah Abu Zeid Talha leads the Al-Bara Bin Malik Brigade, an Islamist paramilitary allied with the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in the ongoing conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The brigade operates with semi-official sanction but without any formal legal status. Politically, it has links with the former ruling party, the National Congress (formerly the National Islamic Front), and with the broader Sudanese Islamic Movement.
Sudan War Monitor sources said Al-Misbah was arrested on June 4, 2024 following a large gathering of Sudanese nationals in Saudi Arabia to welcome him after he arrived in the Gulf kingdom to perform the Umrah, a pilgrimage to Islam's holiest city, Mecca.
It’s unclear why Saudi authorities detained the militant leader, though possibly it was because of political activities, such as meeting with political associates and supporters in the Kingdom, despite having arrived on an Umrah visa for pilgrimage.
Al-Misbah was deported Wednesday afternoon and landed at Port Sudan airport later the same day. A local source confirmed Misbah’s arrival in Port Sudan, and said he is reportedly preparing for a meeting with SAF leader Abdelfattah al-Burhan. The purpose of the meeting remains unclear, but the source claims it involves Misbah conveying greetings from the Sudanese Ja’alia community in Saudi Arabia to Burhan.
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Meanwhile, a video published just hours ago by the brigade through its social media platforms shows Al-Misbah greeting comrades upon his arrival in Port Sudan.
The Al-Bara Bin Malik Brigade gained prominence last year by carrying out drone strikes against RSF targets in Sudan’s capital region, and publishing videos of the strikes. Its ground forces participated in a SAF offensive in February, which broke the RSF’s grip over key parts of Omdurman, Sudan’s largest city.
The brigade rose further to prominence in April after suffering an alleged drone strike during an Iftar gathering in Atbara, which this publication assessed to be a “false flag attack.” The attack sparked outrage across northern Sudan and boosted the brigade into a symbol of resistance in the face of war with the RSF, whom many pro-SAF individuals describe as “invaders” of the country.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page following his arrival, Misbah condemned the RSF and also criticized the Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces (Taqaddum), a secular civilian bloc opposed to the war. He further emphasized the religious affiliation of his group:
"Let the criminal and rebellious Dagalo militias [the RSF], who have wreaked havoc in Sudan, and their accomplices from the political (Forces for Freedom and Change) parties, and those who have sold out their country and conscience, know that defending our land, honor, people, and religion is an accusation we do not deny," Misbah wrote. "It is a crown of honor on our heads that we live, breathe, and die for. Sudan will remain united and inclusive for all. We are a new generation of free Sudanese youth. We will build the future of this country, sacrificing our lives and souls for its revival, dignity, and pride, which we deserve. We stand firm in our commitment to our martyrs and will return to complete what we started.”
Misbah was also spotted in a photo with Farahat Wad al Omda, believed to be a senior member of the Baraa brigade. Farahat, whose real name remains unknown, wrote on social media: “A group that established a right... saw its guidance. They are all true brothers...endowed with the divine spirit.”
Both Misbah and Farahat's exact ranks are unclear, but a SAF colonel, speaking in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) in March, could be heard addressing Farahat as “Siadtek” which translates to “sir” and is usually used by junior commanders to address superiors in Sudan. This anecdote illustrates the outsized influence and prestige of the Islamist brigade, such that even senior SAF commanders speak deferentially to its leaders. When the brigade’s top commander was wounded last year, SAF commander-in-chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited him in hospital.
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The Al-Bara Bin Malik Brigade draws its name from a revered companion (Sahabi) of the Prophet Muhammad. Sahaba are held in high esteem within Islam for meeting the Prophet during his lifetime, accepting his teachings, and remaining Muslim until their deaths. Al-Bara's heroism is cemented by his death around 641-642 from wounds received while defending the city of Shushtar against the Sasanian Empire.
During Sudan’s previous civil war in the 1990s, Sudan’s former military regime relied on jihadist paramilitaries to bolster its flagging war efforts in South Sudan and the Nuba Mountains. These groups were called the Popular Defense Forces (PDF) and were controlled by top security figures affiliated with the National Islamic Front.
The Al-Bara Bin Malik Brigade follows in the footsteps of the earlier PDF brigades, albeit this time under a successor military regime, one led by generals of the former dictator Omar al-Bashir.
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Calls for accountability after RSF rampage
A deadly attack by Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on a village in Al Jazira state has sparked international condemnation. The African Union, United States, United Kingdom, European Union, and the United Nations all called for accountability and an end to violence against civilians.
At least 140 people were killed in the attack last Wednesday on Wad al-Noura village, located 52 kilometers west of the state capital Wad Madani and 93 kilometers from Sudan's capital Khartoum. The victims were buried in mass graves.
A video filmed by an RSF soldier near the village showed RSF vehicles using heavy weaponry, including large caliber machine guns and anti-aircraft guns, against the village.
The African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat condemned the massacre, saying he was horrified by news of the high death toll, which included 35 children. He called the war “senseless” and appealed for it to stop. He said the devastating scenes of the mass burial in Wad al-Noura “must strengthen the resolve of the international community to put an end to this war once and for all.”
“The Chairperson is alarmed that, despite the many efforts of the international community to achieve a ceasefire between the two parties, the situation in Sudan has continued to deteriorate, and is leading to acute hunger and even famine in various parts of Sudan, threatening the lives of millions of civilians.”
“The Chairperson calls on the two warring parties, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, to immediately return to the Jeddah ceasefire process, to end the fighting unconditionally, and to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access to the needy population.”
Likewise, the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of African Affairs condemned the attack and called on RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, to hold accountable the commanders who carried out the attack.
“We are deeply disturbed by the Rapid Support Forces' use of artillery against civilians in Wad al-Noura. General Hemedti should hold his commanders accountable and demand his forces cease using violence against civilians.”
U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello described the attack as “heinous” and reiterated the call for a ceasefire and peace talks.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron urged the RSF to stop attacks on civilians and warned of future accountability. “Horrific reports of a RSF assault on innocent people in Wad al-Noura. The RSF must stop these attacks. The world is watching. Those responsible will be held to account.”
British Ambassador to Sudan Giles Lever echoed the call and said evidence is being collected for future prosecutions. “We condemn this atrocity in the strongest terms. The RSF leadership must do more to control their forces and stop these killings. Our partnership with [Centre for Information Resilience] is collecting & preserving evidence which can form the basis for future accountability.”
The European Union High Representative and Vice President Joseph Borrell called the attack a “senseless massacre” and said it was investing in monitoring human rights violations in Sudan.
“The European Union is appalled by credible reports of yet another senseless massacre of over 100 defenceless villagers committed by the Rapid Support Forces in Wad al-Noura, in Al-Jazira State, Sudan. The EU is investing substantially, together with the OHCHR and the UN Independent Expert on the human rights situation in Sudan, in the monitoring and documentation of human rights violations committed by the belligerents since the beginning of the over one-year conflict to ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are held fully accountable. Once again, the EU demands an immediate cessation of hostilities and unhindered access for humanitarians.”
The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami expressed shock at the killings and called for an investigation into the incident.
“I am shocked by reports of violent attacks and a high number of casualties in the village of Wad Al-Noura in Al Jazirah State on 5 June 2024. While the UN does not yet have the full details and facts of yesterday's events, there are credible reports of heavy gunfire and the use of explosive weapons in populated civilian areas. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have publicly confirmed that their elements were involved in ground operations in this area on 5 June. Even by the tragic standards of Sudan's conflict, the images emerging from Wad Al-Noura are heart-breaking. I have said it before and I will say it again: wars have rules that need to be respected, no matter what. Armed clashes and the use of explosive weapons in heavily populated areas must be avoided at all costs.”
The RSF has been in control of much of Al Jazira State since December 2023, when it stormed into the state capital, Wad Madani, from neighboring Khartoum State. The RSF also controls most of Khartoum State. Several attempts by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to retake Wad Madani have failed, and the army is now mostly based on areas bordering the states of Gadaref and Sennar.
Some supporters of the army called for its leaders to resign for having failed to protect Wad al-Noura. For instance, prominent journalists and well-known SAF supporter Osman al Mirghani stated, “the bravest decision you [Al-Burhan] can make is to resign. Visits no longer change reality. Enough...enough.”
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